Loom for weaving pile fabrics.



PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

A. HBALD.

LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1905.

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-numIllllllllllllllfllllflmml No. 804,123. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

' A. HBALD.

LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 19-05.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,403.

' zen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Im-f provements in Looms for Weaving Pile Fab-5 rics, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to that class of looms for weaving pile fabrics in which the pile-{ forming warp-threads are shedded .betweenj bars or fingers, the pile-loops being formed over a weft-thread which is supported upon said fingers and bridges the spaces between them.

One object'of my invention is to so construct such a loom as to permit of the effective use therein of rigid fingers and to insure the insertion of the pile-supporting weft-f thread above the same and ofthe tying on binding weft-thread below them.

A further object is to prevent the tension of the pile warp-threads from pulling down the supporting weft-thread between the bars or fingers upon which it rests, and thereby shortening or lowering the pile-loops formed over such weft-thread.

Another object is to improve the cutting mechanism whereby the tops of the pile-loops are severed and the supporting weft-thread thereby released; and a final object is to prevent loss of said supporting weft-thread and to conveniently dispose of the same after it has been released from the pile-loops, so that it will not afterward interfere with the proper operation of the loom. I These objects I attain in the manner here-' inafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents, in longitudinal section, sufficient of a loom to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of part of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of part of the loom. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of another part of the same, and Fig. 6 is a face View of part of the reed.

No attempt has been made in the drawings to show the relative proportions of the parts, as suchshowing is not necessary for a proper understanding of my invention, and it would preclude the illustration of certain essential features on as large a scale as is desired.

1 represents a bar which may constitute the breast-beam of the loom or may be secured to 'the breast-beam or other rigid support adjacent thereto, and 2 represents the swinging lay, with its shuttle-race 3 and reed 4. The

harness-cords 5 are controlled by the jacquard mechanism of the loom as usual and operate the pile warp-threads 6, while heddles 7 control the binding warp-threads 8.

All of the harness-cords 5 pass through a comber-board 9, saidv cords being provided with knots 10' above the openings in the comber-board, so that when the latter is lifted all of the harness-cords, and consequently all of the pile warp-threads, will be lifted thereby.

Extending from the bar 1 toward the lay of the loom are fingers 11 for supporting the pile sustaining weft threads 12, and rearwardly beyond the beating-up point of the lay these fingers are elevated, as shown at 13, these elevated portions being of such length that they project through the spaces of the reed when the latter is in its fully-retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, the rear portions of the fingers being then carried upwardly to a point above the top of the shed formed by the warp-threads and being there secured to a fixed transverse bar 14. Hence the fingers are rigidly supported at both ends, and consequently maintained in their proper relation to the other parts of the loom with which they cooperate.

The elevated portions 13 of the fingers 11 constitute a skeleton shuttle-race for the support of the shuttle 15, which inserts the supporting weft-thread 12, the shuttle which inserts the binding weft-thread 16 traveling on the main shuttle-race 3, as usual. The fingers 11 thereby constitute a permanent means of separating the supporting weft-thread 12 from the binding weft-thread 16 and insure the introduction of said threads into the fabric in their proper position in respect to the fingers, thereby preventing mispicks, which are likely to happen in the absence of such a device.

As the fabric advances from the beating-up point toward the supporting-bar 1 the tops ofthe pile-loops come under the action of a cutting-knife, whereby they are severed, so as to release the supporting weft thread 12. Such cutting-knife consists in the present instance of the upper run of an endless-belt .knife 20, which runs upon drums 21 and 22 shuttle in the box.

27, driven by a belt 28 from a pulley 29 on the crank-shaft 30 or other rotating member of the loom, chain wheels and belts being employed, if desired, if a positive drive of the knife 20 is-considered necessary.

In order'to prevent Waste of the supporting weft-thread 12 or the inconvenience due to the presence of the same on top of the fingers after it has been released from the pileloops, I provide at one side of the loom a winding-spindle 31, carrying a bobbin, spool, cop, or like receiver 32, upon which the thread 12 is wound as fast as it is released by the severing of the pile-loops. The spindle 31 has a sheave 33, which is driven by a belt 34 from a pulley on the crank-shaft 30 or other rotating shaft of the loom, so that a frictional drive for said spindle is provided, which will permit of a stoppage of the movement of the same during those times when there is no slack in the thread 12 to be taken up, for it will be understood that the thread 12 is released intermittently, two rows of pile-loops having to be severed before a loop of the weft-thread 12is released. Hence, as the speed of the spindle 31 must always be such as to insure the taking up of one loop of weft-thread 12 be fore the next loop is released, and as the draft of the bobbin or cop increases correspondingly with its increase in diameter of the mass wound thereon, the frictional driving means for the winding-spindle constitutes the best means of compensating for such irregularities of draft or feed.

In order to properly lay the rewound weft thread 12 upon the spool, cop, or bobbin, the frame 35, in which the spindle 31 is mounted,

"should have appropriate vertical reciprocating movement imparted to it.

In weaving fabrics of the class to which my invention relates the pile forming warpthreads, being under heavy tension, have a.

tendency to pull the supporting weft-thread down between the fingers 11, especially at and near that selvage of the fabric from which the supporting weft-thread extends to the In order to overcome this objection, I thicken or widen the fingers 11 at the top, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the space between the top portions of the fingers is just sufficient for the passage of a pile-forming warp-thread, the space to be bridged by the weft-thread 12 being thereby reduced to a minimum without materially increasing the size or weight of the fingers.

, In order to still further protect from deflection the supporting weft-thread at and near the selvages of the fabric, I provide alongside of each selvage and in proximity to thread is subjected to such tension that it can-.

The gripping device consists of a plate 40,

fixedly mounted upon some convenient portion of the loom and having bearings for a rock-shaft 41, which :hasa projecting arm 42 and a pair of projecting gripping-fingers 43.

The supporting weft-thread 12 inits passage from the selvage edge of the web to the shuttle passes between'the base-plate and the elevated gripping-fingers, and when such fingers are depressed they securely confine said weftthread 'to the base-plate 40 and prevent it from yielding to the :strain of the pile warpthreads 6 when the latter are shedded so as to form the pile-loops over the supporting weft-- thread. I

Operation of the fingers 43 at the proper time is effected from a suitably-driven shaft 44, which has a cam 45 for acting upon a pivoted arm 46, the latter being connected by a rod 47 to the arm 42 on the rock-shaft 41.

The gripping device-at one side of the loom may be operated alternately with that at the opposite side of the loom,'or both gripping devices may be operated simultaneously, if desired, alternate operations of each gripping device in such case, however, performing no useful function.

The reed 3 has double-bars 50, bent, as-shown in Fig. 6, so that each space for the reception of the warp-threads is wide below, as at 51, where the threads are bunched, and narrow above, as at 52, where the single threads are lifted to form theshed. and side by side with these narrow spaces 52 are other spaces 53 for the reception of the elevated portions 13 of the fingers 11, which are thus firmly held in lateral position and are prevented from interfering with the shedding of the warpthreads.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of pile-warp-thread-shedding mechanismand fingers for supporting a weftthread over which loops of said pile warpthread are formed, said fingers having elevated portions constituting a race for ashuttle whereby said pile-supporting weft-thread is inserted, substantially as specified.-

2. The combination, in aloom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for shedding pile warpthreads and binding warp-threads, a lay having a shuttle for inserting a weft-thread to be interwoven with the binding warp-threads and fingers for supporting a weft-thread over which loops of the pile warp-thread are formed, said fingers having elevated portions constituting a race for the shuttle which introduces said supporting weft-thread, substantially as specified.

'3. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of pile-warp-thread-shedding mechanism, a lay having a reed, fingers for supporting a weft-thread over which loops of the pile warp-thread are forked, said fingers having elevated portions extending through the spaces of the reed and supports for said fingers located behind the reed, said elevated portions of the fingers constituting arace for the shuttle which introduces the supporting weft-thread, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of mechanism for shedding pile warp threads and binding warp threads, a swinging lay having a reed .and a race for a shuttle carrying a weft-thread for being interwoven with such binding warp-threads, fingers for supporting a weft-thread over which loops of the pile warp thread are formed, said fingers having elevated portions passing through the spaces of the reed and supports for said fingers in the rear of the reed, said elevated portions of the fingers con' stituting a race for the shuttle which carries the supporting weft-thread, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of a series of fingers, means for forming loops of pile-thread with tops projecting above said fingers and a cutting-knife consisting of a perforated metallic belt mounted upon supporting and driving pulleys one of which is toothed for positively engaging with the belt-knife, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for forming loops of pile warp-thread over a supporting weftthread, means for releasing said supporting weft-thread and means for winding up the released weft-thread, substantially as specified.

7. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for forming loops of pile warp-threads over a supporting weftthread, means for releasing said supporting weft-thread and means for winding up the released Weft-thread, said winding device being frictionally driven, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for forming loops of pile warp thread over a supporting weftthread and fingers upon which said weft-thread is mounted, said fingers being thickened at the top so as to reduce the width of the spaces between them, substantially as specified.

9. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for forming loops of pile warp thread over a supporting weftthread, fingers upon which said supporting weft-thread is mounted and a gripping device at each selvage of the fabric for engaging the supporting weftthread at a point between said selvage and the shuttle, substantially as specified.

10. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of means for forming loops of pile warp thread over a supporting weftthread, fingers upon which said supporting weft-thread is mounted, a gripping device at each selvage of the fabric for engaging the supporting weft-thread at a point between said selvage and the shuttle, and means for opening and closing said gripping devices, substantially as specified.

11. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of warp-thread-shedding mechanism, fingers having elevated inner ends, and a reed having bent wires,whereby wide lower spaces are formed for the reception of the bunched warp-threads narrower upper spaces for the reception of the shedded warp-threads, and, side by side with said narrow upper spaces, other spaces for receiving the elevated gogtions of the fingers, substantially as speci- In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED HEALD. 

